The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 245: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

_—— . - _——. , . 71 ° . I ee re — +--+ —-—-— BRIGHTS AND SHADOWS..OF. LONDON LIFE, © They will swear it.” ,. * Doubtless,” replied his lordship ; “ but as the judge ‘and I drew the will, we are the best evidence as to the state of the testator’s mind, which, unfortunately it. the divisibility ep ap and its connection with mind ?” “Very,” SIR setae slide Ging to ia dus erg Duncan, he added, “Mr, Grabblestain, if x any thing to offer against the validity of 8 will, be pleased to do so through your Your legacy shall be delivered to you on for the same. At present I must leave th ‘house, as I expect my solicitor every moment to : sic property and discharge the do- mestics, wi conduct I am much dissatisfied.” ‘J will not go,” sullenly replied the disappointed Sa judge rang the bell, which was answered by s of his own servants. - &Go to Bow Street,” said his master quiet'y, make my compliments to the magistrate, and tell he ow finding that resistance would be use- cast a look of hatred and rage at Fitzgerald, and ushed from the house, : Fics Kapp remained like one entranced ; it seemed to im a dream that the fortune which the revengeful pirit of his grandfather had deprived him of should » thus singularly made up to him. Come, Mr, Fitzgerald,” said the judge, arousing im from bis: reverie by a friendly pressure of the 2and, “ you appear rather overwhelmed than rejoiced veg good fortune. You must return home and e with me; I am anxious to get rid of a respon- » trust, and fo surrender your estates as soon as sible.” _“« Perhaps, my lord,” said our hero, for the first » breaking silence since the will had been read, Pr of Mr. Grabblestain may render sh a step premature.” “Pooh! the fellow has not a leg to stand on.” “ Not one,” said Lord Selkirk. “ Still I cannot comprehend,” said Fitzgerald, “ why ip Jerdabip should so frequently have declared to me t his estates were entailed, and lamented that he not leave even his domestics a legacy.” “His lordship did not wish, in bis old age, to he the prey of legacy-hunters. With equal fore- ght} us requested my learned brother and myself to raw Up. his will, that in every technicality it might ep ts and also, if necessary, to bear evidence of sanity.” " Not an unnecessary precaution,” observed our arO ; “for the vulgar frequently take any deviation ae SEPT manners and habits of life as a roof of madness,” “True,” said the judge, “ common minds admit of iB deviation fram their own standard. Rest perfectly ; there is not a man in England who holds his 2 by a firmer tenure than yourself, and few by speaker was right in his conclusions, for nothing = more legally prefect than the document by ee : | Of ambition, so long dormant, revived with his un- » : -~ 243 which the eccentric testator gave to Fitzgerald his large possessions. Having been disappointed in early life, and deceived where he most trusted, the naturally generous disposition of Lord Bamff became soured; he regarded all who approached him with a degree of suspicion, which if his own painful experience did not justify, it at least palliated it; and he professed poverty, in order to avoid the snares of the legacy-hunter and the attentions of the interested. It is most probable that, had his nephew treated him with even the ordi- nary courtesy of life, the old man would not so com- pletely and whimsically have disinherited him; but the affair of the picture decided his fate, and, by a retaliation as tantalising as it was just,he made the disputed Albano the substitute of the splendid inherit- ance Grabblestain had so long and anxiously expected. The lessons which Richard Radcliff had instilled into the heart of his grandson had not so filled it with am- bition but that a keen observer, like Lord Bamff, could discover the many good qualities it contained. To them, as much as to the desire of disappointing the vulgar, rapacious Grabblestain, whose conduct at the close of his uncle’s life showed the utter worthlessness of his character, our hero owed the wealth which had falien to him. Affairs connected with his change of fortune de- tained him in London longer than he desired, for the metropolis had become hateful tohim, The feelings expected accession of fertuue, and he bitterly repented the precipitancy with which he had entered the church, as it precluded him from a seat in parliament, where alone he could hope to distinguish himself, and from which the insane hatred of the king towards his family could not otherwise have excluded him. Mr. Grabblestain’s opposition to the will was soon withdrawn, when he found that the expense of op- posing it would be as enormous as the result was hopeless, He contented himself, therefore, by report- ing every slander he could invent to the dis ment of the charaeter of the man he hated, and be~ came, if possible, a greater miser than before. Fitzgerald, despite his wealth, was far from happy, The fate of Ellen and her boy clouded his existence. He felt his loneliness; and the absence of Digby, whom he longed to be reconciled to, was an additional source of annoyance, Immediately after the final urrangement.of his affairs he called upon J udge Bur- ton, who had proved a valuable friend, since, but for his evidence, Grabblestain would have successfully opposed his uncle’s will on the plea of insanity; for he had completely suborned the domestics of the late lord, who were ready to swear to any thing. “ Weil,” exclaimed the judge, as his visitor entered the room, “ Grabblestain has abandoned his plea. Do you think of residing on the estate, or letting it? Fine shooting—moors well stocked,” “Neither, my lord. I shall return to my rectory,” replied Fitzgerald, mournfully. “Rectory!” exclaimed his friend—*“ pooh, pooh! Rectories are very good things for men withont for tune; but with fourteen thousand a year, who would, at your ege, abandon the pleasures of the world? You will think better of it.” “No; my mind is made up. In London I have neither friends nor ties, I feel as a mere drop amid the human ocean,” “A drop formeth a part of the whole,” observed the judge, kindly. “That do not I,’ replied Fitzgerald, with a sigh. “My feelings are changed. The path [ would have conics LLL A tc et SS (CO) im